The government is set to make GPS tracking mandatory for four-wheelers and will track vehicles on every route: Report

From February 15th, the Government of India has made it compulsory to use GPS-Based FASTags for all vehicles. FASTags are essential for electronic toll payments on all four-wheelers. The latest rumours suggest that the Government of India is also planning to make GPS mandatory on all four-wheelers, including cars, for vehicle tracking.

FASTags: India Toll Booth Feature

A few days ago, in the Lok Sabha, Sh. Nitin Gadkari, the Road Transport and Highways Minister, announced that he will remove all the physical toll booths in the country within a year. He also said that the toll collection will be done through the GPS system in the vehicles.

The GPS imaging will enable the money collection from the vehicles. While official details are yet to be unveiled, the vision of a toll-free, GPS-powered future is certainly exciting. This could bring smoother commutes, improved traffic flow, and enhanced security for vehicles. Also Read: Xiaomi Mi Band 6: What to expect from the upcoming fitness tracker

What is FASTag?

FASTag is a technology that lets you pay tolls electronically rather than in person at toll booths. It employs a sticker with an RFID tag that is linked to both your car and your payment account. When you pass through a toll plaza, a reader scans your tag and deducts the toll money from your account. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and 23 banks run FASTag.

A FASTag can be purchased online through multiple platforms or in person at toll booths and other locations. FASTag provides several advantages, including time, fuel, and money savings, reduced congestion and pollution, and improved transparency and accountability. Also Read: Hyundai India to launch 6 new EVs, including an electric SUV

GPS-based FASTags in India

The Government of India has confirmed that GPS will be mandatory for all vehicles. This will eliminate the need for toll booths and manual toll collection. The toll amount will then be easily deducted from the vehicles’ accounts using GPS-based FASTags. Also Read: Kia Motors to launch EV6, the first electric car in India, by June 2022

These FASTags are already installed in all new four-wheelers. The government will also provide free GPS-based FAS tags for the old vehicles. Moreover, GPS-based FASTags will enable the government to monitor and track all the cars on Indian roads in real time. Also Read: Motorola Smartwatch Series to Launch in Coming Months

• Benefits of GPS-based FASTags

Some other benefits of GPS-based FASTags are:

1. They can reduce the cost of toll collection and maintenance of toll plazas.
2. They can improve the accuracy and transparency of toll collection and prevent fraud and evasion.
3. They can enable dynamic pricing of tolls based on traffic conditions and demand.
4. They can provide useful data for traffic management and planning.

• Government Promotion of GPS-based FASTags in India

According to the official reports, the government of India plans to promote the use of GPS-based FASTags by:

1. Amending the Motor Vehicles Act and creating rules to facilitate GPS tolling as well as to penalise offenders.
2. Installing Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMs) on all newly constructed national highways and existing 4-lane national highways to provide seamless and safe traffic operation.
3. Providing free GPS-based FASTags for the old vehicles.
4. Introducing the system in phases and conducting a pilot project for an automatic number plate recognition system.

Vehicle Tracking with GPS Trackers

The implementation of the GPS-based tracking by the Indian government is still unclear. Sources say that the tracking can use low-power GPS tags that are attached to the FASTags. The sensors can scan these tags, or the GPS modules in the car can access them. Also Read: Redmi Watch India Launch: Xiaomi’s First Smart Watch in India

The first approach relies on sensors at toll points detecting nearby tags. This avoids expensive in-car modules but might require denser sensor coverage. Meanwhile, the Government of India will decide how to do this, as the GPS modules are very expensive. Also Read: WhatsApp New Privacy Policy Controversy in India: Key Points and FAQs

Gadkari explained the reason for the GPS tracking. He said that many people are stealing tolls and evading GST. The GPS tracking will help to stop these crimes with the FASTags. The GPS-based FASTags will be in all four-wheelers. Additionally, the government will use them to find the offenders and punish them. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series tipped online before official announcement

• GPS-based FASTags are compulsory

Records show that more than 7% of people are not using the FASTags system. They are paying twice the toll amount. Gadkari also said that he will remove toll booths on short distances. The rule for a toll booth distance on national highways is 60 km. With GPS-powered FASTags, India aims to revolutionise toll collection, tackling evasion, boosting revenue, and creating a fairer, more efficient road experience for everyone.

The auto sector report says that many car companies are installing GPS modules in their cars. But they are not sharing the GPS data with the government in real time. Some government agencies have asked for the GPS data access in some cases for vehicle tracking. Also Read: New Gaming laptops launched under MSI Leopard, Pulse, and Katana series